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Lenny Williams -
Shirley Murdock
For more than a decade, the city of Beaumont has hosted the annual Juneteenth celebration. This year’s event returns Saturday, June 17, from 3-8 p.m. to downtown with live music, food trucks, kids’ activities and more on Main Street between the Julie Rogers Theatre (765 Pearl St.) and the Public Library (801 Pearl St.). Admission is free and open to the public. Guests are also encouraged to bring chairs and enjoy the sights of downtown.
“As Mayor of Beaumont, I’m excited to celebrate this holiday with good food from our local food trucks, entertainment from local artist, lots of fun activities for Beaumont residents, young and old, and the big concert on Saturday night,” said Mayor Roy West. “I am looking forward to many more years of celebrating this holiday making it bigger and better for the city of Beaumont.”
It was in Galveston, Texas where Major Gen. Gordon Granger led the Union soldiers June 1865 with news that the enslaved were free. The order read, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
The following year, in 1866, a celebration was had in Texas, the first Juneteenth observance to recognize freedom from slavery in the U.S. Texas then blazed the trail Jan. 1, 1980, to make Juneteenth a state holiday as celebrations were held celebrating African American freedom and achievement. In 2021, Congress signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
This event promises to be an exciting day of entertainment, culture and community engagement, as we come together to celebrate the history and significance of Juneteenth. There will be several captivating performances from R&B legends Shirley Murdock and Lenny Williams.
Murdock, renowned for her soulful vocals and chart-topping hits, will grace the stage with her mesmerizing presence. Since the age of 15, she aimed for a gospel career. In the 1980s, Roger Troutman, funk bandleader for the group Zapp snagged Murdock a record deal with Elektra Records where she recorded Top 10 R&B hits such as “As We Lay,” “Go on Without You” “Husband” and “In Your Eyes.”
Then, in 1999, Bishop T. D. Jakes took Murdock under his wing and invited her to sing on his No. 1 album, “Sacred Love Songs.” Since, then, she’s toured in gospel stage plays and recorded gospel hits, like the Stellar and Dove Award nominated “I Love Me Better Than That.” Her powerful voice and heartfelt performances have made her a beloved icon in the music industry.
Williams is another R&B sensation with an illustrious career spanning over four decades. Williams’ soul-stirring ballads, including the timeless hit “Cause I Love You,” have garnered him a loyal fan base and established him as one of the most influential voices in the genre. He was also known as the lead singer for the soul/funk group Tower of Power, who had chart-topping hits like “You’re Still a Young Man,” “So Very Hard to Go” and “What is Hip.”
Also set to entertain the audience are regional musicians Nebu Nezey and the Treblemakers, Far Cry, the Golden Triangle All-Star Band, and DJ Erik Tee of Magic 102.5 FM.
A new attraction will be the 12 and under Free Throw Competition with prizes for the winners. Registration for the competition will take place at the event. Kiddos can also meet Princess Tiana, from the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog.”
The City of Beaumont’s Juneteenth Celebration is sponsored by ExxonMobil, Giglio Distributing and Lifeshare Blood Center.
“We are thrilled to offer this annual event for all to enjoy, while celebrating Juneteenth and showcasing a beautiful area in Downtown Beaumont,” said Emily Wheeler, director of event services.
The Jefferson Theatre will host Classic Movie Night on Friday, June 16, with the showing of the 2018 superhero film, “Black Panther,” at 7 p.m. Tickets are $4 for kids, $6 for adults, and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or at the venue, evening of the show.
King T’Challa, played by the late Chadwick Boseman, returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia, the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan “special forces”) and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
The film is Rated PG-13 and is 135 minutes.
For more information, view beaumonteventstx.com or call (409) 838-3435.
-Chad Cooper, Entertainment Editor